Improved cutting device for harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

C. WHEELER,VJR., OF POPLAR RIDGE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED CUTTING DEVIEVFOR HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 15,677, dated September 2, 1856.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it knovvnthat 1,0. WHEELER, Jr., of Poplar Ridge, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cutting Devices for Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same,re`erence beinghad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical section of one of the fingers, the. finger-bar and sickle being also bisected transversely. y y, Fig. 3, shows the plane of' section. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of one of' the fingers, x x, Fig. 1, showing the plane of' section. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of my ilnprovement.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention,'l will proceed to describe it.

B represents the finger-bar, which is constructed of iron and has the fingers U attached to it by bolts a, which pass vertically throughsaid bar, one bolt through cach finger. The back ends of' the fingers C extend upward on both sides the bar B and interlock it, so that one bolt a is sufficient to secure each finger to the bar. The front end of each uger 0 is notched at its front end in a dovetail manner to receive the front end of a cap, D, Which is of curved or arched form, as shown clearly in Fig. l, and the back ends of' these caps are secured to the extreme back ends of the fingers by bolts b. The front parts ot' the fingers on their upper surfaces have each a longitudinal groove or recess, c, made in them; and these recesses or grooves receive the projections d on plates E, which rest on the fingers, the back ends ot'said plates projectingover ou the fin gerbar B. The front ends of the caps D have projections e on them, which fit in the front ends of the grooves or recesses c. The plates E have their edges slightly beveled, so as to form cutting-edges at their upper surfaces, and the upper surfaces may be faced with steel or they may be cast of' hard metal.

F represents the sickle-bar, which has triangular or saw-shaped teeth f attached to it.

The bar F Works in guides z, attached tothe upper surface of' the finger-bar B, and the cutting-edges of the teeth do not extend back on the nger-bar. The caps D are sufficiently curved or arched to allow the sickle-bar F to Work freely underneath them and also to clear the nuts ofthe bolts a. The heels of the teeth j' rest or Work on the back parts of the plates E, .which keep the teeth free from the fingerbar, and the cutting-edges ofthe teethf work over the cutting-edges of the plates E.

The advantages of my improvement, which have been fully proved in practice, are, first, the lingers and caps, connected and attached to the linger-bar as shown, possess a great amount of strength with a small Weight of' metal, andV either the fingers or caps may be readily removed, if' broken, and replaced by new ones, the perfect part being retained. The plates E may also be readily removed and ground When necessary, and new ones inserted when required. By locking the caps and fingers together, as shown, their construction is facilitated and cheapeued. By attaching the fingers to the finger-bar, as shown, one bolt will hold each guard firmly in place,`while the nut does not obstruct the free passage of the cut grass or grain over the finger-har. By placing the teeth on the top of the finger-bar, as shown, the cut grass or grain has only the breadth of the finger-bar to pass over, and the free passage of the grass or grain over the bar is insured. By giving the caps a curved or arched form, in addition to their strength, they assist in raising lodged or tangled grass in theirpassage through it,giviug the teeth a better chance to operate freely Without clogging.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Attaching the fingers O to the finger-bar B, and the caps D to the fingers, as shown, and having a plate, E, placed on each finger, on

Which plates the teethfof the sickle rest and Work, the whole being arranged as herein described, for the purpose set f'orth.

C. WHEELER, JR. Witnesses:

ALFRED LYON, JOSEPH M'osrrER. 

